Free At Wit's End by A.K. Lawrence

decision to not make a decision. He’d let the day flow organically and see what happened. If there was an opening he’d mention it, take the heat and consider grovelling.
    The thing of it was, however, that no matter how upset she was, once IGGY started sniffing, it didn’t stop. Apparently he’d forgotten to put in a Cancel option. He’d made a note of that, of course, and when IGGY finished the search he’d incorporate that into the design. He hoped Marie’s natural curiosity would win in the end when he placed a report in front of her.
     
    A cool breeze reminiscent of the winter gone by blew against the windows of the warm, humid greenhouse on the roof of The Arms building. The contrast of temperatures on the windows caused them to fog which created a close, warm atmosphere for the engagement party. Marie thought it was perfect.
                  The angle of the white clothed service tables was perfect, aligned to give a smooth flow between the different stations. Though she hated to do it, when working in a greenhouse she’d discovered, buffet style was the only option that made sense. That didn’t mean, however, that it had to be dried pasta salad and rubbery chicken breasts. Not on her watch.
    A prime rib station and a roast beef carving station sandwiched many different options spread over the four tables. In the centr e of the display sat a large chocolate fountain smoothly flowing over three tiers and surrounded by strawberries and tiny pastries that were perfect for dipping.
    Tiny white twinkle lights and several covered candles were spread around the room, leaving areas the guests weren’t welcome dark but the rest of the room well lit with a golden shine. Burgundy tablecloths covered the round tables and white runners gave accents. Marie had paid special attention to the light pink rosebuds she’d spread at each place setting. The bride hadn’t been specific but Marie knew the exact look she’d wanted and had accomplished it on a frugal budget.
    From the ooh’s of the guests as they arrived she’d achieved her goal of intimate, warm, loving and, most of all, young. She’d gone with far more contemporary music than she had chosen for Susan’s dinner party and the guests had loosened up quickly as it played. The pricey champagne flowing through the room may have helped with that.
    Several of the servers from Robert’s restaurant had volunteered to help her out tonight for a small fee. Marie kept an eagle eye on them while she worked the room, straightening napkins and ensuring empty glasses were removed. She grinned when she saw Wit come flying through the entrance carrying a large tray. He placed it on the heating element and raced back to the door.
    He’d make a great sous chef, Marie reflected. Not a single complaint at a job he’d been given and he had hustle. She’d noted the circles under his eyes and realized he still hadn’t been sleeping nights. She didn’t know if that was normal for him but she’d always believed if you couldn’t sleep at night something was wrong.
    Then again, she reminded herself, there is something wrong. He’s in mourning for his friends and hasn’t even touched on the grief. From what she could gather he’d been intent on revenge instead and used his abilities to follow through, hiding in codes and numbers and whatever else those computer guys got lost in. She wondered if he had a gaming console and imagined he had the latest and greatest in toys.
    “Ms Chase, you did a fantastic job!” she was distracted from her musings by the sultry drawl of the newly engaged Regina Norris. “I can’t believe you put this all together on that tiny budget I gave you.” She draped her arm around Marie ensuring her diamond ring was in the best light. “No one will ever know I went on the cheap.”
    “Now, Ms Regina, are you calling me cheap?” Marie imitated the drawl to perfection and had the woman laughing.
    Her brown eyes sparkled and she brushed